Maurice w



del.)

M. W. WHITE.

PEG FOR VIOLINS.

Patented June 25, 1-889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE IV. WVHITE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO GEORGE \V. ROSS, OF SAME PLACE.

PEG FOR VILIOLINSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,816, dated June 25, 1889.

Application filed September 3, 1888. Serial No. 284,411. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE WV. \VHITE, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Pegs for Violins and other Stringed Instruments,

of which the following description,in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

o This invention has for its object to improve the construction of pegs for violins and other stringed instruments.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, a peg has been made comprising a thumb-piece and a tapering shank, a hole being formed through the shank to receive the end of the string. \Vith this usual form of peg the string must be tied to be wound on the shank without liability of slipping when taut, and, furthermore, when the string is taut it is difficult to turn the peg a short distance and have it retain its position without slipping in the cheekpiec'es of the head.

In accordance with this invention the 2 5 shank of the peg, substantially in line with the string-receiving hole, is grooved, so that when the string is passed through the hole and the peg turned the string will follow in the groove overlying the end of the string protruding from thehole at one side, thereby binding. the string by a little more than a half revolution of the peg. A washer is placed upon or surrounds the shank of the peg, which bears against the inside of that 3 5 cheek-piece nearest the thumb-piece of the peg, through which the peg passes, said Washer preferably being made of fibrous material, and as the string is Wound upon the peg it presses against the washer, thereby 4o bearing or forcing the washer firmly against the interior of the cheek-piece and acting to draw the peg inwardly. The washer forms a shoulder, against which the string bears, so as to prevent the string from being brought in contact with the cheek-piece, as will. be hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 shows in front elevation the head of a violin provided with pegs in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2, a vertical section of Fig. 1, taken on the dotted line 00 0c; and Fig. 3, a detail of the peg removed.

The peg comprising the thumb-piece a and tapering shank I), having the string-receiving hole 0, is as now common. The shank b has a concentric groove d formed in it substantially in line with the string-receiving hole 0, but preferably a little at one side of it, as best shown in Fig. 3. As the string is passed through the hole 0 and the peg turned the string will follow in the groove cl and will bind tightly upon the end of the string protruding from the hole at the opposite side, thereby obviating the necessity of tying the string. p

In practice it has been found that by this 6 construction when the peg is turned a little over a half-revolution the string cannot slip on the shank. A washer e, of hard rubber, leather, or other suitable material, preferably fibrous material, surrounds the shank b, in contact with the interior of the cheekpiece f, or that cheek-piece nearest the thumbpiece a of the peg, and as the string is wound upon the shank b it bears against the washer e, and by forcing the said washer against the cheek-piece draws the peg inwardly.

It has been found in practice that by the employment of the washer the peg may be turned ever so little and thereafter remain in whatever position put without slippingin the 'eheelopieces.

I-Ieretofore as the string has been wound upon the shank b in passing properly over the nut 9 it comes in contact with the cheekpieces of the head; but by employing the washer c, as shown, such contact is absolutely prevented, as the string bears upon the washer.

I claim 1. A. peg forstringed instruments, eonsisto ing of the thumb-piece a and shank I], havin gthe string-receiving hole 0 and the groove d, substantially in line with and to partially include the string-receiving hole, substantially as and for the purposes specified. 5

2. A peg for stringed instruments, comprising the thumb-piece a and tapering shank I), combined with the independent Washer mounted loosely on the shank, one side of which bears against the inner wail of the cheek-piece f and the opposite side of which is acted upon by the string, snbstantialiyns and for the purposes specified.

In testimonywhereof I hm'e signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAURICE \V. WHITE.

Witnesses:

BERNICE J. NOYES, FREDERICK Ti. EMERY. 

